The council, which had ruled out allowing the castle to stay because it breached national and local planning rules designed to protect the green belt, began contempt of court proceedings after Mr Fidler failed to comply with the outstanding enforcement notices and an order which required demolition.

Honeycrock Farm as it appeared in 2015 (Image: Reigate and Banstead Borough Council)

When the case returned to court on Monday, Stephen Whale, counsel for the authority, told the judge that Mr Fidler had made "very good progress in terms of complying with the requirements of the enforcement notices", but that he had not "fully complied with the requirements".

The house had been "very largely" demolished, he said, but there was "still more to be done", including restoring the land to its former agricultural use.

Robert Fidler said he had "carefully dismantled" his "beautiful home"

Mr Whale said that although the council submitted that the "technical legal position" was that Mr Fidler remained in contempt of court, the parties had "entered into a consent order" for the matter to be adjourned for a month to give him "an opportunity completely to comply".